Jim Saxton: “Mr. Chairman, the net effect of this amendment is to take $500 million out of the Land and Conservation Fund, which…”

“Mr. Chairman, the net effect of this amendment is to take $500 million out of the Land and Conservation Fund, which monies are used as one of a number of tools that we have to preserve open space: acquisition. Now, I understand to some in this room that the word ``acquisition'' has a negative meaning, but to those of us who represent States and communities, or let us just say on the East Coast between Boston and Florida, this tool is extremely important. In my district, for example, every year I go to see the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and I ask for funds to expand the Forsythe Refuge; Ed Forsythe was my predecessor and they named the wildlife refuge after him. We have so much development pressure in New Jersey that we have programs to retire development easements. We have so much development pressure in New Jersey that we have used State Green Acres money to buy land. We have so much development pressure that we use Land and Water Conservation monies to preserve open spaces through acquisition. It is usually sensitive land. It is usually land where we as human beings have no business building housing developments or shopping centers or parking lots or whatever other uses these lands may have. Without these funds, Members will lose a good deal of the abilities they have to help the folks back home live in an environment that has conservation policy that is good for the folks back home.”